Automatic tube closure



' wv PAZDERNICK 2,140,247 AUTOMATIC TUBE CLOSURE Filed March 31, 1938ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATICTUBE CLOSURE William Pazdernick, Freedom, M0. Application March 31,1938, Serial No. 199,261 3 Claims. (01. 221-60) This invention relatesto closures for collapsible tubes used for dispensing pastes, creams andthe like, and its general object is to provide an automatic closureincluding means that normally closes the tube, but is readily moved toopen position to allow free passage of the contents of the tubetherefrom when pressure is applied to the tube and to closed positionwhen the pressure is relieved, consequently the contents can be freelydispensed. and is normally retained sealed in a sanitary and freshcondition.

An important object is to provide an automatic closure for a collapsibletube that includes valve means for sealing the contents thereof andwhich is urged to closed position and held accordingly by a coil springthat is completely enclosed so that the contents cannot come in contacttherewith, whereby proper functioning of the valve is assured.

A further object is to provide a closure that includes valve means whichdoubly seals the contents, namely at the neck of the tube and at theoutlet end of the closure.

Another object is to.provide a closure that can be applied to tubes nowin general use, or is integral therewith, but in any event the closureis simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and extremelyeificient in operation, use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing andspecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure l is a view partly in longitudinal section of the threaded formof closure, applied to a tube.

Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the closure in openposition, with the contents of the tube being dispensed therefrom.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken approximately on line 3-3 of Figure1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a closure thatis integral with the tube, or formed on the neck thereof to provide apermanent part of the tube.

Figure 5 is. a. modified form of valve member for use with a neck havingan elongated outlet opening or slot.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the letter A indicates the body of acollapsible tube, and B the neck thereof, which as shown in Figures 1and 2 is. of the usual threaded type.

The closure includes a casing l which is of elongated tubular shellformation, with a restricted conical outer end 2 provided with an outletopening 3 centrally therein, while the inner end of the casing isthickened and interiorly threaded for application to the neck, in the detachable form shown. Secured within the casing by webs 4 is a solidmember or core 5, that is shaped to follow the shape of the casing, butis spaced therefrom to provide a passageway 6 between the core and thecasing, for the contents of the tube from the neck to the outlet opening3, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 2.

The inner end of the core 5 is also spaced from the outer end of theneck and has a. recess therein. Slidably mounted in the recess forfitting association therewith, is a valve member vided with acone-shaped outer end 8 receivable in the bore of the neck for closingthe same, as will be apparent upon inspection of Figure 4. Threadedlysecured to the valve member and extending through a bore disposedlongitudinally through the center of the core is a stem 9 that isslidably mounted in the bore and which also extends through the outletopening 3. A conical valve I0 is formed on the outer end of the stem 9for closing the opening 3 and the opening is of course shaped to providea seat for the Valve for sealing association therewith.

The valve member 1 and the valve ID are normally held in closedposition, and urged accordingly by a coil spring I I that surrounds thestem 9 and is disposed within a chamber l2 within the core, the chamberbeing closed by the valve member 1 to prevent any of the contents of thetube from reaching the spring, and interfering with the proper operationof the valve, therefore such operation will be assured. It will be notedthat the inner end of the core 5 about the recess is beveled as at [3 tothe same degree as the coneshaped outer end of the valve member I,therel profore allowing free passage of the contents of the tube aboutthe core and to the: outlet opening 3.

The closure of the form of Figure 4 is similar in every respect to theform just described, with the exception that the form of Figure 4 doesnot include threads for threaded connection to the neck of the tube, butis integral therewith, therefore the threads of the neck which fordistinction is indicated by the letter C are eliminated and the closureis formed directly thereon to form a permanent part of the tube.

In Figure 5 I have illustrated a modified form of valve member l4 thatis designed for use for a neck D that has an elongated opening or slottherein, in that the valve member I4 is provided with a flat inner faceto be seated on the fiat outer face of the neck D for closing the slot,and the valve member of this form is provided with a stem i5, with aboss l6 about the inner end thereof that acts as a guide to center thespring, which is likewise used in this form for closing and holding thevalve member in closed position. A like boss or projection is alsoformed on the valve member 7, as shown.

From the above description and disclosure of the drawing, it will beobvious that when pressure is applied to the tube A, that the contentsthereof will force the valve member of the neck of the tube to openposition, and such movement of the valve member will move the valve ofthe outlet opening to open position, so that the contents of the tubewill flow through the passageway 6 and to and through the outlet opening3, but when the pressure is relieved the valves will automatically closedue to the action of the spring i i therefore it will be seen that thecontents can be readily dispensed from the tube, but is normallyretained sealed, so as to be free from contamination and in a sanitaryand fresh condition.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction andin the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided thatsuch changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A closure for a collapsible tube, comprising an elongated casingconnected to the neck of the tube and having an outlet opening in theouter end thereof, a core secured within the casing and spaced therefromto provide a passageway for the contents of the tube therethrough, valvemeans within the casing for closing the bore of the neck, valve meansfor closing the outlet opening, means slidably mounted through the coreand connecting the valve means together for movement thereofsimultaneously, a spring for urging and normally holding the valve meansclosed, and said valve means being moved to open position when pressureis applied to the tube.

2. A closure for a collapsible tube, comprising an elongated casingconnected to the neck of the tube and having a restricted conical outerend provided with an outlet opening centrally therein, a core securedwithin the casing and spaced therefrom to provide a passageway for thecontents of the tube therethrough, said core having a recess in theinner end thereof, a valve mem ber mounted in the recess for closing thebore of the neck, a stem for the valve and extending through the core, avalve member on the outer end of 'the stem for closing the outletopening, a coil spring surrounding the stem and engaged with the firstvalve member for urging and normally holding the valve members closed,and said valve members being moved to open position when pressure isapplied to the tube.

3. A closure for a collapsible tube, comprising a casing connected to:the neck of the tube and having an outlet opening in the outer endthereof, a core mounted within the casing and spaced therefrom toprovide a passageway for the contents of the tube therethro-ugh, saidcore having a recess in the inner end thereof and a chamber inwardly ofthe recess, a valve member mounted for slidable movement in the recessfor closing the bore of the neck, a stem formed on the valve member andextending through the core, a conical valve on the outer end of the stemfor closing the outlet opening, a coil spring surrounding the stem forurging and normally holding the valve member and the conical valveclosed, said valve member and conical valve being moved to open positionwhen pressure is applied to the tube and said, spring being mounted inthe chamber for disposal out of the path of the contents of the tube.

WILLIAM PAZDERNICK.

